Thor mods?

[Slick]

I bought one of the 10m candlepower (yeah, right..) Thor's at Costco for ~$25 and liked it so much that I bought a second one to tinker around with.

I can't imagine making it much better unless I go HID.  Since it's got a 12v SLA battery already to go, maybe it's time to scoure the wrecking yards for a Lexus HID headlamp assembly?

[MR Bulk]

Heeeeeeeeey...Slick!

Hmmm, two things you might should know -

1) the (apparently) same maker also made an HID, quite a bit bigger housing, but at $75 for a 35W true HID how can ya go wrong?  Apparently available only in CA CostCos, but if you talk to TedBear he will hook you up.

2) some particular person was working on "boost" circuitry for the one you have, but it would involve you going over "there" to have a look...but it's literally been months, and is vaporware still at this point.

3) (okay okay, it was three things!) someone quite knowledgeable informed me that the same circuit is sold at Pep Boys auto parts for about $10 bucks and "modding" it consists of soldering wires to the contact points and - removing the mfr's label...don't know how true it is, but since you likely have Pep Boys closer to you over there than we over here, it might be worth a look.

Just wanted to give you a heads-up about what's going on and what might be available before ya go reinventin' (or spinnin') the (yore) wheels bud...

[bindibadgi]

That's very interesting Charlie.  Down here at the arse end of the world we don't have any Costcos, and so we can't get the HID "thor" here (without expensive shipping, and possibly even then we couldn't get the battery shipped with it).  That makes me somewhat interested in reinventin' the wheel.  I'll have to keep my eyes out for that "mod," since I was kinda considering going to the wreckers and looking for a one eyed Mercedes or the like.

[Slick]

Thanks for the "heads-up" on the Costco HID..  Shucks, after getting banned "over there" over 2 years ago, I've kind of fallen behind on the popular mods...  I did read about using a "boost" circuit before, but want to stay away from faster discharge / short bulb life and just step up to the plate and look for a real HID that I could fit in.  Now maybe it's going to be as easy as going to Costco and blowing another $200 (because I can't seem to get out spending any less after the beer, steaks, and other "must-have's". 

[MR Bulk]

Thanks for the "heads-up" on the Costco HID.  Now maybe it's going to be as easy as going to Costco and blowing another $200 (because I can't seem to get out spending any less after the beer, steaks, and other "must-have's". 

Oh man, tell me about it - 'cept for us it's a lot of other things too - kitchen mats for the floor by the sink, gal's clothes, sofa "throws", kids' computer software programs, hardly any really cool guy stuff except a new flashlight once in a while - if they ever get any here in the local CostCos.

[Icebreak]

Great googlely mooglely!  I see Slick!

I have missed reading about your mods.  You are one of the most gifted builders ever to make a light.  I figured you just got board or sick (vomit avatar) and left.

My apologies for the OT, Charlie.  First post here.

And Dadgum, Yippy-eye-aye and all that jazz...a whole forum about hotwires.  Great!

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- Jeff

[ZENGHOST]

Great googlely mooglely!  I see Slick!

I have missed reading about your mods.  You are one of the most gifted builders ever to make a light.  I figured you just got board or sick (vomit avatar) and left.

My apologies for the OT, Charlie.  First post here.

And Dadgum, Yippy-eye-aye and all that jazz...a whole forum about hotwires.  Great!

----------------

- Jeff

Hey, Icebreak--welcome to the forum.

[Icebreak]

Thanks, ZENGHOST.  Nice forum.

BOT

Slick-

The stock Thor can handle more drive by what I can tell.

I haven't done it but I've read and believe re-doing those sissy connections can help.  I have applied 15V to it for about 60 seconds and it reacted nicely.

How to do that as an onboard modification is beyond my skill level.

Also, a fellow built some shims to recede the bulb a little.  This gave better beam convergence which resulted in better focus/throw.

I believe at your skill level an HID mod would be a walk in the park.

--------------------

- Jeff

[MR Bulk]

Great googlely mooglely!  I see Slick!

I have missed reading about your mods.  You are one of the most gifted builders ever to make a light.  I figured you just got board or sick (vomit avatar) and left.

My apologies for the OT, Charlie.  First post here.

And Dadgum, Yippy-eye-aye and all that jazz...a whole forum about hotwires.  Great!

----------------

- Jeff

Icebreak is IN da HOUSE!!!  WELCOME ABOARD!!!   Looking forward to more of your posts so kick off your shoes, sit back, relax, and POST awhile!

[Icebreak]

Well, thanks Mr. Bulk.  I just love what you've done to the place.

------------------

- Jeff

[Slick]

Great googlely mooglely!  I see Slick!

I have missed reading about your mods.  You are one of the most gifted builders ever to make a light.  I figured you just got board or sick (vomit avatar) and left.

My apologies for the OT, Charlie.  First post here.

And Dadgum, Yippy-eye-aye and all that jazz...a whole forum about hotwires.  Great!

----------------

- Jeff

Hey Bud! good seeing you here too!!  It's been a long time.

My "walk" was an invountary one that was pretty well censored and I preferr not to go back into...

On the upside, I still build the ocasional mod and and am a HEAVY user of my past projects.  I'm happy to report no failures in any of my mods (including ~ 80 LGI-type lights) built and sold locally.  I have to say that the colored Luxeon mods use have particularly piqued my intersted over time.  The truth is there are too many talented builders that can turn out a white Luxeon as good as I for less $ and time investment.  Shucks, some of my best Luxeons I used in mods came from Charlie himself..  I'm still contemplating a come-back of "King-of-the-reds"..  (that's Luxeons ya know, not politics)...

[MR Bulk]

Hey Slick, it was about time you finally dragged out that avatar of old, which we came to know and love!

[Slick]

Hey Slick, it was about time you finally dragged out that avatar of old, which we came to know and love!

Thanks Charlie, But I have to give credit to a truely nice conversation I had with a fellow "Bulk-i-nite".  I started thinking that what I found humuorus in the Che outline might escape others and be mis-interpreted in a negative light...  I certainly have NO following for Che and didn't want to lend any impression otherwise.   Besides, I'm better looking than Che or Maddox...

[markdi]

modding a thor to hid is easy

the hardest part is mounting the bulb

[tropres]

Thanks, ZENGHOST.  Nice forum.

BOT

Slick-

The stock Thor can handle more drive by what I can tell.

I haven't done it but I've read and believe re-doing those sissy connections can help.  I have applied 15V to it for about 60 seconds and it reacted nicely.

How to do that as an onboard modification is beyond my skill level.

Also, a fellow built some shims to recede the bulb a little.  This gave better beam convergence which resulted in better focus/throw.

I believe at your skill level an HID mod would be a walk in the park.

--------------------

- Jeff

This is truly a nice forum.

Great googlely mooglely!  I see Slick!

I have missed reading about your mods.  You are one of the most gifted builders ever to make a led light.  I figured you just got board or sick (vomit avatar) and left.

My apologies for the OT, Charlie.  First post here.

And Dadgum, Yippy-eye-aye and all that jazz...a whole forum about hotwires.  Great!

----------------

- Jeff

I know right. I have enjoy his post and mods here in the forum, I just registered just now but i have lurking here